After a fitful night of sleep, Bella woke the next morning to coffee being served on her small table near the window.
"Mistress Bella!" a voice said excitedly.
"Daisy!" Bella smiled as the little elf popped up on her bed hugging her as she sat up.
"I've missed my Mistress Bella! Daisy has been good, very good for Master Blaise, but he's no Mistress Bella," Daisy nodded her head happily having her large ears flop around. The Zabini's held several elves all that were free, but refused to leave the family they had served for many years and loved very dearly.
"I've missed you Daisy. Now I must be getting ready soon, would you like to do my hair today? I don't have the energy to fuss with it," Bella smiled knowing that Daisy would be wanting to spend as much time as possible with her.
"Of course, Mistress! Of course, Daisy would do anything for her Mistress," she popped off the bed allowing Bella to get ready.
She admired her bedroom she only saw during holidays. White with gold accents throughout the entire room. Her large plush bed with too many blankets and pillows held a replica of the night sky in the ceiling of the four-poster bed. She had books shelves all over the room alongside the window seat and fit perfectly with the white plush couches and armchairs. Bella walked into her large bathroom that held a clawfoot tub and a modern waterfall shower alongside her gleaming marble counters and tiled floors.
She stepped into a hot shower easing her muscles. When she was finished, she went into her walk-in closet that held fashions from around the world due to her many travels. Bella eyed all the brilliant colors and unique fashions desperately missing her travels already. She shook her head and reached for a navy blue off the shoulder knitted sweater along with black skinny jeans, a light tan wool coat, and brown leather booties. She quickly changed and stepped out to see Daisy waiting for her by her modern vanity she received from Blaise last year for Christmas.
"What would you be liking Mistress?" Daisy asked brushing out her wet hair which was already beginning to curl.
"I think I'd like it straightened and parted down the middle, please" she answered looking at her reflection. Without make-up, she could see how the years had worn her down. Bags under eyes, weight loss, and stress all made her look more fragile.
"That would be looking pretty Mistress," Daisy answered snapping her fingers that automatically had Bella's curls pin straight and parted perfectly. Daisy snapped her fingers again and Bella's make-up was done lightly with gold eyeshadow on her lids with mascara and a nude lip.
"Thank you so much Daisy! I better be getting to breakfast with my brother, we both know how he is in the morning," Bella winked as Daisy giggled disappearing once more.
Walking straight to the large dining room downstairs, Bella saw her brother was already there impeccably dressed in a Puddlemere shirt with dressy jeans and Italian leather boots.
"Well, about time! I forgot what it was like waiting on a woman to get ready," Blaise said dramatically.
"Arse," Bella smiled then pecked him on the cheek before sitting down in the seat across from Blaise.
"So, I've been meaning to ask you about Miles. Are you seeing him?" Blaise asked nonchalantly taking a sip of his tea as Bella buttered her piece of toast.
"Subtle fratello, very subtle. Also, no, I am not seeing him. It's going to be a platonic dinner between coworkers," she rolled her eyes. She took a bite ignoring his scrutinizing.
"I just don't want you to get hurt by some peasant who doesn't appreciate you or treat you how you should be treated," he said exhaling and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Bella stilled hearing the brother she had so dearly missed. She placed her hand on his and squeezed it.
"Fratello, I love you and how you wish to care for me all these years. It's always been you and I vs the world, so I understand your need to protect me, but look at me. I'm damn near the spitting image of our mother and we didn't get 9 stepfathers from her being unattractive," Bella laughed causing Blaise to chuckle.
"Yes well, let's hope you have better a track record than that," Theo stated leaning on the doorframe smiling at the siblings.
"Theo! Join us!" Bella smiled gesturing to the seat next to her. He strode over to Bella kissing the back of her hand she offered then clapped Blaise on the back.
"I take it you heard the 'no dating' lecture I was enduring?" Bella raised an eyebrow at him smirking into her cup of coffee.
"I didn't say not to date at all…" Blaise trailed off.
"Just men you approve of, vetted, interrogated, and had followed?" she finished looking him dead in the eye. Blaise had the sense to look a bit sheepish.
"If you were my sister, you would be getting the same if not more restrictive treatment," Theo said softly smiling.
"Men," she muttered rolling her eyes then smiled at Theo. The three of them were soon joined by the others and they all felt the familiar twirling of using the portkey as it activated exactly at 1.
Draco immediately went to Bella to escort her up the stairs to the private box they would be sitting in. She smiled up at him only making it to below his shoulders in flat shoes. He could smell the soft rose and vanilla scent wafting off her and immediately loved the feeling of having her close to his side.
"You look beautiful today Bella," he said softly to her placing his hand over hers that was holding onto his arm.
"Thank you, Draco. You look handsome as ever," she beamed then blushed looking away from his steady gaze.
"Hermione?" Bella says letting go of his arm. She walked towards the bushy-haired witch and engulfed her in a hug.
"Bella! How lovely to see you again! You're here with some snakes I see," she laughed raising an eyebrow at Bella.
"Well, when my brother is a Slytherin you become accustomed to living in a snake pit," Bella laughed looping her arm through Hermione's. The group of Slytherins watched Bella interact with the Gryffindors they went to school with.
"Harry this is Bella, my best friend. Bella this is Harry, my other best friend," Hermione laughed again. Bella shook Harry's hand as he blushed being around a beautiful witch.
"Best friend?" Blaise asked Bella looking at her intently. The others could tell they were silently communicating, he then smiled at Hermione holding out his hand.
"Let our old-school houses not interfere with new friendships, yeah?" he said hoping that the animosity would die down between his friends and apparently, his sister's friends.
"We'd like that," Hermione smiled shaking his hand then nudged Harry with her elbow so that he also shook his hand.
"Well, now that that's all settled. Why are you here? You despise Quidditch," Bella said raising an eyebrow smirking at Hermione's expression that went from smiling to annoyed.
"Ginny's playing therefore Hermione is cheering her on in place of her brother who had to work," Harry laughed seeing Hermione dejectedly taking her seat.
"Would have never figured you one for getting forced into anything Granger," Draco smirked taking Bella's coat for her skimming the tops of her shoulder with his fingers tips causing Bella to shiver that wasn't due to the cold. She inhaled his scent of chai and felt the heat from his close body. Bella smiled through the tension taking a seat next to Hermione as Draco handed their jackets to an elf.
"It was a guilt trip being that I've not gone to any of Ginny's games," Hermione grumbled. Blaise and the other Slytherins chuckled.
"Red would have made an excellent Slytherin," Theo quipped.
"No, she's sneaky enough as a Gryffindor," Harry laughed.
"I didn't even know Gryffindors could be sneaky," Draco added chuckling sitting beside Bella who seemed to unknowingly move closer to him where their arms and thighs would be nearly touching.
"Well, we're not obvious about it when we want something whereas with Slytherins it's expected you lot have an ulterior motive," Hermione rolled her eyes smiling at Bella then noticed her glances at Draco out of the corner of her eye seeing he was doing the same. The game began then which entranced all the men and Bella into watching intently. Every time the seeker was close Bella would hold her breath then slowly let it out as he didn't appear to have it. Draco watched Bella out of the corner of his eye paying attention to each physical reaction to the game, and knew he was becoming flustered just watching how passionate she was about one of his favorite things.
"Your wife is brilliant Harry," Bella remarked looking over at him. He blushed and ran his hand through his hair.
"Thanks, would you lot care to join us for lunch after this? I'm sure she'd love meeting the prima ballerina she's been blathering about for months," he smiled at Bella who blushed in return.
"It's still so strange that everyone seems to know me," she said quietly.
"Well, ballet is one of the purest forms of art and you are one of the most talented artists in the world, so it makes sense people recognize you for the beauty you create," Draco said looking at Bella who was speechless. She blushed deeply trying to figure out how to respond to such kind words.
"T-thank you," she placed her hand on his and he turned his running his thumb over her knuckles.
"Just being honest love," he whispered looking down at their hands.
"Come with me to the shop Bella, I want to get a Holyhead shirt for next time so Ginny doesn't bite my head off," Hermione asked bringing Bella and Draco out of their own world. She turned to Hermione and nodded standing letting go of his hand.
"We'll be back," Bella said telling Blaise before he volunteered to escort her down. "It'll be quick."
"Be careful," he said watching the game. Hermione looped her arm with Bella's as they walked down from the box to the merchandise store.
"Spill!" she whispered in Bella's ear as they browsed the rack for a shirt. Bella rolled her eyes knowing Hermione wouldn't let her leave until she told her.
"He's handsome, a lot more so than I had imagined. Draco is Blaise's' best friend though. I would be a terrible sister if I dated him," Bella shook her head ignoring the pang in her heart at the thought of turning away from Draco.
"I don't think he'd mind to be perfectly honest. It's someone he trusts implicitly not to mention he knows him and spends enough time with him that he would know if he didn't have the best intentions with you. However, can we just discuss how hot and heavy the tension between you two is!?" Hermione whispered excitedly.
"Whatever! That is SO not true, we just talked. He's sweet," she smiled pulling out a cute V-neck showing Hermione who quickly took it from her. Bella laughed looking at the Puddlemere gear opting to buy a new Puddlemere sweater with the logo on the front.
"He was such an arse in school, ugh why couldn't you have picked Theo? He, I could have supported wholeheartedly, Draco's just…" Hermione said shaking her head watching as Bella paid thanking the girl behind the counter who blushed and stammered a compliment on her dancing.
"Thanks Amelia," she peered at her name tag then took her new sweater.
"You're the one into Theo not me," Bella shrugged laughing at Hermione's spluttering a response.
"That... that is not the point! I don't even like him anymore," Hermione blushed cherry red as they walked towards the stairs.
"Uh huh, you keep telling yourself that and you may end up believing it," Bella winked at her as they slowly walked up.
"Speaking of Theo, is he… you know, seeing someone?" Hermione whispered in Bella's ear. Bella beamed shaking her head vigorously then giggled at Hermione's blushing as she looked directly at Theo walking in.
"You're about as subtle as an elephant in a china shop," Bella whispered then giggled more as Hermione blushed even redder.
"Shush!" she said slapping her arm then huffing to her seat.
"Are all Gryffindors violent?" she asked Draco as she took her seat.
"Only Granger, she punched me in third year straight on the nose," he blushed laughing at the memory.
"I heard and I also scolded her that violence is not going to solve anything. Right Hermione?" Bella asked looking at her best friend.
"Whatever, I told you he was an arse and deserved it," she shrugged looking at the game which seemed to be Puddlemere in the lead. It was that moment then the seeker dived down attempting to grab the snitch. It was an all-out race between both seekers Bella stood and strode forward to the balcony's ledge watching intently as the seeker from Puddlemere gained a lead. He quickly dived once more and grabbed the snitch. The announcer claimed the final score was 290 to 170. Bella turned excitedly hugging her brother.
"He was brilliant! That Wood should be played much more often," Bella told Blaise who nodded.
"I think we may have to reschedule that lunch. My wife is not the best company after losing a game," Harry chuckled.
"That sounds fine, how about this coming weekend you all come over to our home and have dinner with us?" Blaise asks Harry.
"That sounds great," Hermione says. She pulls Bella into a hug and whispers, "say yes." Hermione then walked over to Harry who waved goodbye and they left down to the locker room. Bella stood there confused until Draco brought her out of her befuddled thoughts.
"Granger's always been a strange witch," he chuckled and held out his arm for her. She smiled taking it. "Bella, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner tomorrow evening?"
So that's what she was talking about, Bella thought. "I don't know if that's a good idea. You are one of my brother's best mates after all. I don't want to cause any issues," she said honestly looking away. He smiled a genuine smile at her that had her stomach in knots.
"How about I talk about it with Blaise?" Draco offered not wanting to give up a chance with this witch. Bella nodded and smiled at him. They then caught up with their group and took the portkey back to the Zabini's home.